Public Relations and Advertising Commons^™

The Impact Of Ai-Generated Celebrity Endorsements In Political Advertising, Ryann M. Richards

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study examines how celebrity endorsements and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) influence voter perceptions in elections. To study the relationship between celebrity endorsements and AI, I used an experiment embedded in a survey with two conditions: one AI-generated celebrity endorsement and one AI-generated non-celebrity endorsement. Both endorsements were for a fictional candidate running for office on a platform of supporting maximum age limits of elected officials. In the celebrity condition, an AI-generated version of Dolly Parton’s voice was used. Participants then reported their perceptions of favorability, trustworthiness, recognition, fandom, and policy support. The results showed that participants who …

Organizational Visibility In The Nonprofit Sector: Perspectives Of Communication Professionals, Theophilus Femi Alawonde

All Theses

Nonprofit organizations need to manage relationships with their stakeholders and audiences for varying reasons, one of which is the desire to stay visible. Given the peculiarities of the nonprofit sector, this study sought to understand how visibility is conceptualized in practice, and how nonprofit professionals work towards optimizing and evaluating visibility efforts, given organizational and sectoral constraints.

Drawing on Structuration Theory’s duality of structure framework, the study examined the structural constraints that shape visibility in the nonprofit sector, and extends the literature by examining the role of agency in enacting visibility among selected nonprofit organizations in the United States.

Connection Through Crisis: A Thematic Analysis Of Dialogic Public Relations And Renewal In Social Media Posts From Nonprofit Organizations During Hurricane Helene, Cassidy L. Gruber

All Theses

During a crisis, nonprofit organizations must communicate quickly and ethically with their stakeholders to maintain a good relationship. Data was collected from nonprofit organizations’ Instagram and X accounts during a one-month period surrounding Hurricane Helene in 2024 to see how organizations were communicating with their stakeholders during a crisis. This study found that nonprofit organizations were implementing elements of dialogic communication and renewal into their social media messages. It was also found that national and global organizations were more vocal than local and regional organizations during the crisis. This research highlights the importance of communicating ethically with stakeholders during a …

Digital Orientalism: Examining Eastern Practices In The Wellness Industry, Celia Golden

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

As popularity rises for global and domestic wellness retreats as tourist destinations, their predominantly Western audience invites an American offshoot of Orientalism that commodifies Asian names and practices into “mindfulness.” This paper examines the guest guide of the Miraval Berkshires wellness facility and its treatment of Eastern practices. Findings revealed 55.6% of the specialists at the Miraval Berkshires employ Eastern techniques, and 74.14% of those offerings are restricted to paid and private sessions to create exclusivity. The word “ancient” is disproportionately leveled against Eastern practices in the guest guide to further cement them as relics of the past. Alongside minimalist …

Personal Tendencies And Traveler Preferences: A Study On Personality-Driven Travel Marketing, Evelyn Filleman

Honors Theses

This study examines the influence of personality typing (as outlined by the International Personality Item Pool test structure) on travel decision-making as it relates to marketing matrix strategies. Understanding the relationship between personality type and travel is crucial, as individuals will have different need hierarchies and place decision-making factors on different levels of priority. This study uses the theoretical frameworks of Clifford Geertz and Michael Pacanowsky (Cultural Approach to Organizational Communication) and Judee Burgoon (Expectancy Violations Theory) to inform, direct, and explain the results of the completed research. A total of 261 participants were asked to take a survey outlining …

Expanding The Pantheon Of “Place-Myth”: Media-Induced Travel In College Students Who Study Abroad, Isabella M. Shevetz

Honors College Theses

Media-induced tourism refers to any travel that is in some part motivated by the consumption of mass media related to that location. Media-induced tourism and mass-tourism have led to nation branding and destination marketing across the globe, two industry phenomena that have worked to skyrocket tourism in places where it was not previously a large driver of the local economy. The expansion of mass media availability and the birth of social media mean the media roles of producer and audience member have blurred. Ordinary people now have the influential power of large media corporations. In destination marketing, the user-generated content …

Pilattes; A Campaign With Prickly Pear Coffee Co., Grace Elizabeth Lappenga, Karis Grace Joe, Abigail Brooke Encalade

SPARK Symposium Presentations

The Prickly Pear Coffee Co. campaign sought to build awareness and community engagement around the brand’s new mobile camper location in Franklin, Tennessee. Founded by Annika Baylis, Prickly Pear Coffee Co. is a Christ-centered brand that began as a mobile espresso cart during the COVID-19 pandemic and grew into a Nashville staple with multiple storefronts.

With the new Franklin location facing limited awareness and a reduced marketing budget following complications from the January 2026 ice storm, three students in Belmont University’s PR Campaigns class conducted a situation analysis that included audience research, social media audits, and influencer identification. These insights …

Digital Touchpoints: Investigating Contact Page Accessibility And Visual Authenticity Within Medical Tourism Health Websites, Alicia Mason, Elizabeth Spencer, Kristen Livingston, Treyton Meyers, Sakshi Bhati, Himika Akram

Faculty Submissions

This study examines two critical digital touchpoints on medical tourism provider (MTP) websites: (1) the accessibility of contact pages which often function as entry points for inquiries, scheduling, and pre-travel coordination, and (2) the authenticity of visual imagery used to shape expectations about care environments, personnel, and technological capacity. A sample of 105 MTPs across all six World Health Organization regions were analyzed using quantitative web accessibility testing and qualitative visual analysis. Results indicate pervasive accessibility errors on contact-page touchpoints and extensive reliance on inauthentic imagery to depict patients, providers, and medical technologies. Together, these practices may distort user expectations …

Rvx In The Spotlight: Generating Awareness Growth For Belmont, Eloise G. Dornfeld, Lynda K. F. Clark, Kathryn E. Roller, Zoe E. Walls

SPARK Symposium Presentations

RVX is a student organization at Belmont University dedicated to students with the passion for dance and love for K-pop. With recent success of a dance cover for the “K-pop Demon Hunters” song “Golden,” the team has grown in following on social media. However, on campus awareness has not had the same trajectory. Spotlight PR, composed of four students in the spring 2026 Public Relations Campaigns class at Belmont University, partnered with RVX to increase general student and faculty awareness on campus. RVX began in 2017 with seven members and has grown to 26. Most notably, the student organization has …

Nicky’S Coal Fired: 10 Years Of Good, Better, Best, Isabel Y. Hodell, Lily K. Rosen, Jillian G. Gardner, Maren C. Conaghan, Victoria Mata

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Maren C. Conaghan, Jillian G. Gardner, Isabel Y. Hodell, Victoria Mata, Lily K. Rosen

Team Name: Bella PR Firm

Public Relations Campaigns Class, Belmont University, Spring 2026

Faculty Adviser: Dr. Bonnie P. Riechert, APR, Fellow PRSA

Abstract Summary: Nicky’s Coal Fired (https://www.nickysnashville.com/) is a family-owned Italian restaurant founded in 2016, located in The Nations neighborhood of Nashville, TN. The restaurant was established to bring the local community together through scratch-made Italian cuisine. In Spring 2026, a team of students (Bella PR Firm) in Public Relations Campaigns class at Belmont University partnered with the organization to celebrate their sustained …

The Wonderful Everyday, Helen Ball

Gateway Reader- Individual Papers

• The Problem: Rhetorical analysis of marketing strategies demonstrates how minimalist advertisements sell an idealized lifestyle to middle-class consumers rather than just a specific household product.

• The Method: The researcher conducted a visual and psychological analysis of a 2017 IKEA UK print advertisement for the Sheffield store opening, utilizing color psychology frameworks and target market demographic data.

• Qualitative Finding: The advertisement uses a calming light blue and contrasting mustard yellow palette to project stability and attract busy families; the deliberate physical absence of the advertised Hemnes coat stand creates a sense of consumer anticipation and suspense; the versatile room setting appeals …

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Precision Or Invasion? Mapping The Personalization Paradox, Shyamala N. Chalakudi, Gnana Bharathy

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

AI-driven personalization has transformed consumer engagement, yet existing research offers no systematic way to determine when personalization shifts from helpful to intrusive. Current research and models explain privacy concerns or expectancy violations but do not measure the point at which personalization triggers user discomfort, creating the personalization paradox. This study introduces the Discomfort Threshold Assessment & Measurement (DTAM) framework, a conceptual model that identifies and evaluates this threshold by integrating Dual Process Theory, Expectation Violation Theory, and Privacy Calculus Theory. DTAM distinguishes between affective discomfort reactance and cognitive discomfort reactance and outlines how these constructs could, in future empirical studies, …

Assessing The Impact Of Alumni Relations: Using The Theory Of Planned Behavior To Understand Fsu Students Motivation To Engage, Eldaneka Rolle, Richard Waters Phd, Ciara A. Lewis

AMTP Proceedings 2026

This study aimed to understand Florida State University graduate and upper-division undergraduate students in the College of Communication and Information, attitudes and perception of connection through the specific behavior, engagement with alumni relations. If individuals perceive a connection, is there perceived behavioral control (PBC), does PBC influence their intent to remain connected through one of the four key components, experience, communication, volunteer and philanthropy. Five focus group discussions were conducted using semi-structured interviews. Through thematic analysis, eight common themes were developed, Major, Minor or Certification Interest, Program Experience, Faculty, Advisors and Staff, Event Participation, Communication Preference, Volunteer Opportunities, Small Contributions …

Exploring The Influence Of Environmental Motivations On Consumer Attitudes And Purchase Intentions Toward Upcycled Foods, Peng Lu, Jennifer Waldeck, Keith Weber, Hualu Zhou

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

Food loss and waste (FLW) present pressing environmental and economic challenges. Upcycling technologies provide a sustainable pathway by transforming food by-products into value-added products; however, consumer acceptance remains a critical barrier. Guided by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study investigates how environmental motivations influence consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions toward milk enriched with upcycled peanut skins. Data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1488 U.S. adults. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test hypothesized relationships among motivational constructs, and cluster analysis was used to identify consumer segments based on motivational profiles. The results show that intrinsic motivation and …

Leveraging Csr To Buffer Brand Challenges During Crises: A Saudi Arabian Perspective, Nouf Alrayes, Abdullah Alhidari

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Crises, such as economic downturns or global health pandemics, pose significant business challenges. Engaging in CSR initiatives that contribute to societal well-being can help mitigate the negative consequences of crises, reinforce customer gratitude, and minimize corporate hypocrisy. CSR is critical in shaping a company’s accountability and ethical responsibilities. Consequently, there is an opportunity for the firm to see the role of CSR and how it affects customers’ responses and attitudes during any difficult situation. Drawing upon attribution theory and the customer gratitude reciprocity cycle, a conceptual framework was developed to test the impact of CSR on the variables: corporate hypocrisy, …

Religious Higher Education Institutions In Ukraine: The Evolution Of The Problem And The Collision Of The "Secular–Religious" Dichotomy, Serhii Kostiuchkov, Vadym Slyusar, Lesya Chervona, Mykola Slyusar

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The article is devoted to institutional, legislative, philosophical and communicative analysis of the activities of religious higher education institutions in modern Ukraine, taking into account political, social, legal, religious and communicative contexts. The authors examine the demand for religious education in modern Ukraine, which demonstrates high internal dynamics and promising prospects for the development of the domestic religious educational space. It is emphasised that the functioning of religious higher education institutions in Ukraine is regulated by the principle of constitutional separation of education from religion, while at the same time basic legal norms create specific conditions for the functioning of …

Sustainability Of Local Media In The Era Of Disruption: A Case Study Of Ayobandung.Com, Bibo Bani, Nindi Aristi, Ira Mirawati

JURNAL KOMUNIKASI INDONESIA

This study examines the sustainability strategy of local media in responding to the challenges of digital disruption in the media industry. The case selected for the research is AyoBandung.com, local digital news portal under PT Ayo Media Network. Local media are structurally vulnerable to platform dominance, forcing them to balance journalistic integrity with economic adaptation. This research employs a qualitative case study approach, with data collected through in-depth interviews with internal stakeholders, including editorial and business management teams. The findings reveal a clear structural and functional separation between the AyoBandung and creative agency, with distinct workflows, content types, and …

Book Review: Communications Internships Handbook: What All Comms Students Need To Know, Karen Mccullough

Applied Business Faculty Publications

Review of: Daniel, R. R., & Haynes, K. A. (2025). Communications internships handbook: What all COMMS students need to know. Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, 120 pp.

College students who successfully complete internships and other forms of experiential learning while in college benefit from greater average starting salaries, receive a higher number of job offers, and express increased satisfaction with their careers than students who do not participate in internships or other experiential learning opportunities. Students also indicate that they feel their career has progressed faster than they expected, according to results from a 2025 study by the National Association of …

Why We Must Commune: Rethinking The Role Of Marketing Communications In Turbulent Times, Javier Garcia

Publications and Research

“Communications” is often thought of as a noun, representing the messages we receive on a daily basis from people, brands, and institutions alike. 

"Communications" is also often associated with an industry that exists to produce such messaging in service of capitalism, with a commercial or otherwise actionable outcome desired from its receiving audience. 

This presentation, hosted by two-time CCNY graduate and senior marketing communications professional and Assistant Professor Javier Garcia, will examine the urgency and opportunity in rethinking the value and study of marketing and communications. 

In his presentation, Professor Garcia will offer suggestions on how to guide students towards …

Artificial Intelligence In Crisis Communication: Investigating Source Effects And Matched Crisis Responses On Stakeholder Perceptions, Erika J. Schneider, Victoria A. Kyriakopoulos, Youngji Seo, Nalae Hong, Moon Lee, Joon Soo Lim

Media Studies - All Scholarship

As public relations efforts increasingly integrate AI into operations, examining how the disclosure of AI as the source in organizational crisis communications affects public perceptions is increasingly relevant. This research investigates the effects of AI disclosure across matched crisis responses within a 3 (match crisis response: victim crisis-scapegoating, accidental crisis-excuse, preventable crisis-apology) x 2 (source disclosure: AI vs. human) experimental design survey. Key findings reveal that crisis responses with human sources, compared to those with AI disclosure, led to greater perceptions of organizational reputation and credibility across the three matched crisis responses. AI-disclosed messages from the company were also associated …